campbell



(No Model.)

I W M M A A .U JO. A

No. 427,401. Patented May 1890.

v M M h TN: NORRIS Pains 60,, mo'ro-Ln'uo. \VASHWGTON, n. c.

UNITE I STATES JOSEPH I-I. CAMPBELL, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

AQUA-AMMONIA ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,401, dated May 6, 1890.

Application filed January 2, 1890. $eria1 No. 335,631. (No model.)

To coZZ whom, it may concern: I

Be it known thatI, JOSEPH H, CAMPBELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aqua-Ammonia Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates and is applicable to that class of engines known as aqua-ammonia engines.

The object of my invention is to prevent the Violent agitation of the aqua-ammonia in a well communicating with the atmosphere, or in that part of the well from which the feed-pump takes its supply for the generator, and thus avoid a loss of ammonia-vapor, whether the agitation is produced by the forcible entry of the combined exhaust-vapor and absorbingliquid, or by air that has been drawn into the engine and has been carried over to the well.

A further object is the purging of the aquaammonia in the apparatus'of air or incondensable gases, automatically or otherwise.

A further object is preventing oil or other foreign substances that have been carried into the well from being forced into the generator by the feed-pump.

My invention consists in combining with a pipe conveying the liquid from the exhaustpipe of the engine to the feed-well a suitable resistance sufficient to overcome upon the entrance of the combined absorbing-liquid and exhaust-vapor into such well any force imparted to the said liquid and vapor in excess of that required for their discharge into the receiving-well, and afterward carrying the combined exhaust-vapor and absorbing-liquid through the main body of liquid within such well, thus preventing agitation of the 0011- tents of the feed-well.

My invention consists, further, in providing suitable passages for the escape of the air drawn into the exhaustpipe of the engine, so as to discharge such air from the apparatus before it reaches the main body of the liquid in the feed-well.

My invention consists, further, in placing in the path of the combined exhaust-vapor and absorbing-liquid between the absorbing apparatus and the generator a chamber supplied with a strainer, and so constructed that it may contain an absorbent of deleterious or injurious substances, or a purifying agent or a mechanical separator, and said chamber being so constructed that the weight of the liquid on the outside will prevent the oil or any lighter substance than the liquid from reaching that part of the well from which the feed-liquid is drawn-that is, the well is divided into two compartments, an inner and outer compartment, the liquid passing from the inner to the outer through the bottom of the inner compartment.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation, partly in section, of an aqua-ammonia engine constructed according to my invention; and Fig. 2, a Vertical section, on an enlarged scale, of the receivingwell provided with my improvements.

Like letters in both figures refer to like parts.

A is an aqua-ammonia boiler or generator, having tubes a a, through which steam is made to circulate. b is the inlet-pipe for such steam. Said pipe is provided with a valve 19 and is made to communicate with steam-tubes a or within the generator, while is a pipe for withdrawing the condensed steam from said generator. Said pipe is also provided with a suitable valve b 0 is the main Vapor-pipe for conveying the ammonia-vapor expelled from the aqua-ammonia within the generator by heat to the cylinder D, 0 being the main valve for controlling the passage of such ammonia-gas from said generator into pipe 0, and O bein g the throttle-valve of the engine.

E is a pipe for conveying weak solution from the lower part of generator A to the exhaust-pipe of engine D. Said pipe E is made to pass in the form of a coil through a casing G, wherein the liquid in pipe E is cooled by cooling-water entering such casing through pipe g, and leaving it through pipe 9 c is a cock in pipe E for regulating the amount of cooled weak solution discharged through jet J into exhaust-pipe F of enginecylinder D.

Owing to the strong tendency of cool water or weak solution to take up and absorb ammonia-gas, the liquid discharged from jet J downward, and preferably in the form of a spray, will withdraw vapor from that side of the engine-cylinder which at that time temporarily communicates with the exhaust-pipe, thus creating a partial vacuum in such part of the cylinder. Upon such meeting of vapor and liquid, heat, called heat of absorption is developed, which has a tendency to defeat or retard further absorption and to again set free gas previously absorbed, thereby interfering with the vacuum andpossibly producing back-pressure on the engine. To dispose of such heat of absorption I employ two absorbers I and K, which in their general construction resemble surface condensers employed in connection with steam-engines. Absorberl has in its central section tubes t" t", 1' t and 1' i through which coolingwater circulates. The combined absorbing-liquid and exhaust-vapor enter absorber I at its top and pass to the right along tubes 2" t", then down ward and to the left along tubes 2' 2' and again downward and to the right along tubes 2' i until they leave such absorber through pipe L.

'i" i are division-plates attached in each case to one end of the central section of absorber I, as shown, leaving a space between the same and the opposite end of such central section, thus compelling the combined liquid and gas to take the course indicated above.

Pipe L enters the bottom of the central section of absorber K, liquid and gas being made to move upward around tubes K 'K through which cooling-water is made to pass, and leaving the absorber at its top through pipe M.

K and K are chambers at the ends of absorber K, and I I I I are chambers at the ends of absorber I, while a n n are waterpipes. The cooling-water employed is made to pass through pipe or, chamber K, pipes K K chamber K pipe n chamber I, tubes 2' i chamber I tubes 1' i chamber 1", tubes t t", chamber 1, leaving the absorber through pipe M.

P is a vacuum-pump, of which M acts as suction-pipe, and M is the discharge-pipe of such pump, leading through the bottom of well WV upward sufficiently so as to discharge its contents above the strainers S S S S into the well.

0 is the suction-pipe, through which feedpump P withdraws liquid from the well for the purpose of forcing it through pipe 0 back into generator A. The Well WV is cylindrical in form, having within it a cylindrical casing WV provided at its upper end with a rim extending outward sufficiently so as to rest upon and be attached to a ring V, attached to the inner side of the walls of well WV, the ring and the rim forming an air-tight joint. Said casing W is open at its top and bottom and reaches downward nearly to the bottom of the well WV, leaving, however, a

space sufficient for the free passage of liquid from the interior of easing WV to the part of 'well WV surrounding it.

WV is a casing'having the general outlines of a bottle so adjusted as to have its neck pointing downward, the pipe lWI passing upward through such neck to within a short distance of the detachable disk g, which closes the upper end of casing WV This casing rests on a perforated ring V located above the upper rim of easing WV sufiiciently high to leave a space between the rim of casing WV and perforated ring V for receiving air and any liquid that may be forced up above casing WV, as mentioned hereinafter.

1 1 are rollers attached'to casing WV and serving to guide said casing along said well.

V is a shoulder attached to the walls of well WV, to which perforated ring V is secured.

t is a spring secured between the top of casin g WV andthe detachable cover of well WV.

S S S S are plates provided with fine perforations and extending across the whole section of the upper part of casing WV a is a pipe for the escape of air from the upper part of well WV, and as is a pipe provided with a suitable cook 00, and extending through the walls of well WV and inner casing WV to a point just below the lower edge of casin g WV In operation, the engine having been started, the exhaust ammonia-gas, air, and incondensable gases pass through the absorbers, are withdrawn by the vacu um-pump, and forced by the same into the well through pipe M. The ammonia-gas having been absorbed by the accompanying liquid before it reaches the outlet of pipe M or at that point, the force of the liquid and the pressure of the air and incondensable gases operate against the top of casi n g WV and their force is neutralized by the weight of said casing, and also by spring 25, secured between the top of well WV and disk q. The liquid discharged from pipe M falls down to strainers S S S S, passing down within the body of easing WV and out of its bottom into that part of casing WV surrounding the lower v Jart of said casin WV without violentl 1 a io d a tatin g the liquid in this part of the well. The liquid surrounding the casing WV is at all times higher than the liquid within such casing. This is due to the pressure of the air and incondensable gases within the same. \Vhen the engine remains standing for a considerable time, or the generator or engine has been opened, or if from any cause a large amount of air has been drawn into the apparatus, so as to reach the vacuum-pump after the engine has been started, this quantity of air will force the casing WV upward and the liquid in casing WV downward, and will thus make a free passage for the air to the atmosphere between the casings WV and W Ordinarily the amount of air discharged into the well while the engine is running will not be sufficient to force casing WV upward, but will force the liquid in casing WV downward, and thus permit the air to escape through the same passage between the casings WV and WV Free ings XV and and the air will be forced upward, passing through the perforations in ring V and upward between the walls of well V and easing XV until it reaches and is di'scharged through air-pipe it. Any foreign matter that has been forced through pipe M will be discharged by the same above the strainers S S S S, and will be deposited above or between the same, and oil and other impurities may be readily disposed of by a suitable chemical agent placed above or between said strainers; but if not here disposed of the same will pass downward through the strainers, and, being lighter than aqua-ammonia, will rest on the surface of the liquid in easing WV, from which place they may readily be withdrawn through pipe :1: after cook 00 therein has been opened. The annular space 2 z in well W around the upper part of casing 7' and above the suction-pipe O of the feed-pump furnishes room for the liquid when forced in unusual quantity out of easing \V and before the same can be taken by the feed-pump. R is a vertical glass tube, its up per end being connected with the air-space surrounding casing in the well, and its lower end being connected by a suitable pipe with the inner easing \V at a point slightly lower than that where the drain-pipe or communicates with said casing XV. Thus whenever oil or similar substances fill the upper part of casing WV they will enter said glass tube R from its bottom, and their presence can in this manner be observed, and they may be removed by opening valve 0:.

It will be observed thatwith aslight modification casings W and might be placed on the line of pipe 1 before the same enters the well, and by properly connecting the same with the well would perform the same functions as specified above. They are simply shown within the well, as this offers a simple and convenient form of construction; and it is also evident that the well could be divided into two parts by a central partition, and one part might be made to receive the incoming liquid and to serve to separate the air from it, while the second part of such well might be made to supply the fee'tl-pump; but the construction as shown is preferred, but not essential.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The method herein described of preventing agitation in the feed-well of an aqua-ammoniaengine apparatus, which consists in directing the combined exhaust-vapor and absorbing-liquid toward a resisting device, so as to reduce the momentum of the inflowing solution after its leaving the main supply-pipe and before its commin gli'n g with the main body of liquid within the receiving-well, substantially as set forth.

2. The method herein described of preventing agitation in the feed-well of an aqua-ammonia-engine apparatus, which consists in conveying the combined exhaust-vapor and absorbing-liquid into the upper part of said well, causing the solution discharged there to impinge upon a resisting device, which overcomes the momentum of such solution and deflects it, so as to compel its passage through the main body of the liquid within said well, substantially as set forth.

3. The method herein described of preventing agitation in the feed-well of an aqua-ammonia-engine apparatus, which consists in conveying the combined exhaust-vapor and absorbing-liquid into the upper part of said well, causing the solution discharged there to impinge upon a resisting device, which overcomes the momentum of such solution and deflectsthe same, so as to direct it downward into the lower part of the well, from-where it rises toward the suction-pipe of the feedpump, substantially as set forth.

4.. The method herein described of preventing agitation in the feed-well of an aqua-ammonia-engine apparatus, which consists in dividing the receiving-well into two parts, destroying or neutralizing the momentum of the inflowing solution in one of said parts, and afterward compelling the fiow of such liquid by gravity into the other part of said well, substantially as set forth.

5. The method herein described of purging an aqua-ammonia engine apparatus of air, which consists in separating the combined exhaust-vapor and absorbing-liquid from the air by gravity, storing or permitting the air to escape by suitable apertures, and causing the combined vapor and absorbing liquid to pass through the main body of liquid within the well, from which body the feed-liquid for the generator is supplied, substantially as set forth.

6. The method herein described of automatically purging an aqua-ammonia-engine apparatus of air, which consists in separating the combined exhaust-vapor and absorbingliquid from the air by gravity, causing the air so separated to enter a movable air-chamber, and by its pressure to lift said air-chamber, so as to make its interior communicate with the atmosphere outside of the well, substantially as set forth.

7. The method herein described of automatically purging an aqua-ammonia-engine apparatus of air, which consists in separating the combined exhaust-vapor and absorbingliquid from the air by gravity, causing the air so separated to enter a suitable air-chamber having a liquid seal, which the pressure of the air within said chamber removes or forces back, thereby opening communication between the interior of said air-chamber and the atmosphere outside of the well, substantially as set forth.

8. The method herein described of automatically purging an aqua-ammonia-engine apparatus of air, which consists in separating the combined exhaust-vapor and absorbing- IIO and to force the liquid therein into the main body of the well, and thereby opening communication between the interior of the airchamber and the atmosphere, substantially as set forth.

10. The method herein described of enforcing absorption of free ammonia-gas within the receiving-well of an aqua-ammonia-engine apparatus, which consists in confining such gas under'a movable casing and utilizing the weight of such casing for forcing said gas into the liquid contained in said well, substantially as set forth.

11. The method herein described of preventing air from being drawn into the feedpump of an aqua-ammonia-engine apparatus, the feed being taken from a Well having communication with the atmosphere, the same consisting in dividing the well into three parts so arranged that one of these parts located above the supply-pipe, by the pressure of the air on the liquid in the second part, opens a communication with the atmosphere, the air delivered in the first or upper part being prevented from reaching the main bod y of liquid in the third part, from which the feed-pump takes its supply, by a body of liquid in the second part of said well, substantially as set forth.

12. The method of preventing oil and other.

substances lighter than aqua ammo-nia from being forced by the feed-pump of an aquaammonia-engine apparatus into the generator, the same consisting iii-dividing the feedwell into two compartments, the liquid being delivered into the first compartment and permitted to flow into the second compartment from the bottom of the first compartment by gravity, and removing the oil or other foreign substances collected on the surface of the liquid in the first compartment by a pipe leading into said first compartment, the feedliquid being withdrawn from the second compartment at a higher elevation than that of the point where the aforesaid pipe connects with the first compartment, substantially as set forth.

13. The method of cleaning and purifying aqua-ammonia while passing from the absorber of an aqua-ammonia-engine apparatus to the generator, which consists in interposing a strainer and vessels charged with charcoal or other purifying substance in the upperpart of the feed-well above the main body of the feed-liquid, the discharge end of the pipe supplying the Well being above such strainer, substantially as set forth.

14. The method herein described of operating an aqua-ammoniaengine apparatus, which consists in developing ammonia-gas by heating aqua-ammonia in a generator, conducting such gas to an engine-cylinder for propelling its piston, passing the exhaust of such engine through an absorbing apparatus constructed as a surface condenser, employing a vacuum-pump for withdrawing the contents of such absorbing apparatus and delivering the same into a well normally communicating with the atmosphere, and withdrawing the feed-liquid from said well by a feed-pump, which forces the same into the generator, while maintaining a body of feedliquidbetween the suction-pipe of the feedpump and the part of the well communicating with the atmosphere, substantially as setforth.

15. The method herein described of operating an aqua-ammonia-engine apparatus, which consists in developing ammonia-gas by heating aqua-ammonia in a generator, conducting such gas to an engine-cylinder for propelling its piston, passing the exhaust of such engine through an absorbing apparatus constructed as a surface condenser, discharging the contents of such absorbing apparatus into a well normally communicating with the atmosphere, and withdrawing the feed-liquid from said well by a feed-pump, which forces the same into the generator, while maintaining a body of liquid between the suction-pipe of the feed-pump and the part of the well communicating with the atmosphere, substantially as set forth.

16. The method herein described of operating an aqua-ammonia-engine apparatus, which consists in expelling ammonia-gas from aqua-ammonia in a generator by heat, conducting such gas to the engine-cylinder for propelling its piston, withdrawing weak solution from said generator, cooling it and conducting it to the absorbing apparatus of the engine, wherein the exhaust-vapor from the engine and such liquid are brought in contact with each other and cooled, employing a vacuum-pump for withdrawing the contents of such absorbing apparatus and for delivering the same into a well normally communicating with the atmosphere, and withdrawing the feed-liquid from said well by a feed-pump, which forces the same into the generator, while maintaining the body of liquid from which the feed is drawn between the suction pipe of the feed-pump and the part of the well communicating with the atmosphere, substantially as set forth.

17. The method herein described of operating an aqua-ammonia-engine apparatus, which consists in expelling ammonia-gas from aqua-ammonia in a generator by heat, conducting such gas to the engine-cylinder for propelling its piston, withdrawing weak solution from said generator, cooling it and conducting it to the absorbing apparatus of the engine, wherein the exhaust-vapor from the engine and such liquid are brought in contact with each other and cooled, withdrawing the contents of such absorbing apparatus and de of the well communicating with the atmos-' phere, substantially as set forth.

18. The method herein described of operating an aqua-ammonia-engine apparatus,

which consists in expelling am monia-gas from aqua-ammonia in a generator by heat, conducting such gas to the engine-cylinder for propelling its piston, withdrawing weak solution from said generator, cooling it and conducting itto the absorbing apparatus of the engine, wherein the exhaust-vapor from the engine and such liquid are brought in contact with each other an d cooled, employing a vacuum-pump for withdrawing the contents of such absorbing apparatus, and for delivering the same into awell normally communicating with the atmosphere, purging the combined exhaust-vapor and absorbing-liquid of air prior to mingling the same with the main body of liquid in said well, and finally forcing such liquid back into the generator, substantially as set forth.

19. The method herein described of operating an aqua-ammonia-engine apparatus, which consists in expelling ammonia-gas from aqua-ammonia in a generator by heat, conducting such gas to the engine-cylinder for propelling its piston, withdrawing weak solution from said generator, cooling it and conducting it to the absorbing apparatus of the engine, wherein the exhaust-Vapor from the engine and such liquid are brought in contact with each other and cooled, withdrawing the contents of such absorbing apparatus by conducting the sameinto a well normally comn1 unicating with the atmosphere, purging the combined exhaust-vapor and absorbing-liquid of air prior to mingling the same with the main body of liquid in said well, and finally forcing such liquid back into the generator, substantially as set forth. v

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 31st day of December, A. D. 1889.

JOSEPH H. CAMPBELL. iVitnesses:

J AMES MOLAIN, B. SEAMAN. 

